MD-500MD/Scout and TOW Defender: Improved military version of the model 500 with 5 main rotor blades, 375-shp Allison 250-C20B turboshaft engine, and T-tail. One of the most dangerous helicopter assignments was a tiny scout helicopter known as the Loach. Officially designated the OH-6 Cayuse, these things were made of thin plexiglass and metal but were expected to fly low over the jungles and grass, looking for enemy forces hiding in the foliage. The Cayuse was Hughes' longest-running helicopter program and, during the Vietnam War, as many as 100 OH-6As were built a month. Donald Porter September 2017 Pilot Clyde. It was pretty hairy, and we got the hell out of there. But Boucher got a rush from the missions, and stayed six months beyond what was required of a draftee. On 27 February 1963, the first prototype conducted its maiden flight. Missions began every day at dawn, when crews were briefed on where to fly and what to look for. 2 M134 7.62-mm 6x barrel, Gatling type twin MG pods Following a contentious selection process that included allegations of industrial espionage and political favoritism, the first Hughes OH-6A observation helicopters arrived in Vietnam in December 1967. When the training was completed, C-141 Starlifter airlifters transported both rotorcraft and crews to Fort Huachuca, Arizona, for two weeks of mission training. While in Vietnam, Loach helicopters operated as part of air mobile teams. Total flight hours at this point: 00000496 This was a Combat incident. While in Target Area this helicopter was Attacking at 0060 feet and 010 knots. By signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, MIGHTY NETWORKS, 2023 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, Russian soldiers calls back home reveal horrifying experiences in Ukraine, broke records for speed, endurance, and rate of climb, powered by a 285-hp engine but the helicopter weighed less than a Volkswagen, could carry everything from 7.62mm miniguns to 70mm rockets and anti-tank missiles, nicknamed Queer John, hit the dirt at least seven times, modified versions of the helicopter flew with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment as the MH-6C Little Bird as late as 2008, 29 of the best politically incorrect Vietnam War slang terms. The Bell OH-58 Kiowa was an entire line of military helicopters with a single engine and a single rotor. But the Hueys proved too slow to do the job properly, and the need to replace both scouts and protectors was immediately evident. Due to its unique shape, the Loach was given the nickname . Hughes's price was $19,860 per airframe, without the engine, while Hiller's price was $29,415 per airframe, also without the engine. The Model 369 was submitted by Hughes, and competed against the two finalists, Fairchild-Hiller and Bell, for a production contract. In Vietnam, These Helicopter Scouts Saw Combat Up Close Cobras and Loaches, two vastly different aircraft, relied on each other to fight the enemy. [10][self-published source][11], Due to price escalations for both the OH-6 and spare components, the U.S. Army opted to reopen bids for the programme in 1967. Kawasaki Heavy Industries produced 387 OH-6D Cayuses under license in Japan. The AH-6 Little Bird Gun, a light attack helicopter, has been tested and proven in combat. As the H-13s were phased out, Loaches were paired with Cobra gunships. Your email address will not be published. The 'Loach' was one of the riskiest helicopter assignments in Vietnam Logan Nye Updated December 07, 2022 09:30:25 While barely any American helicopters served in World War II and few flew in Korea, Vietnam was a proving ground for many airframes everything from the venerable Huey to Chinooks sporting huge guns. The Gyrodyne company built the Gyrodyne QH-50 DASH (Drone Anti-Submarine Helicopter) to combat submarines from a distance. Also: LNOF, 90119, JSIDR (Lindenmuth Old Format Data Base. After evaluation, three designs were selected and 5 of each: the Bell OH-4A; the Hiller OH-5 and the Hughes OH-6, were ordered for trials by the U.S.Army Aviation Board. Another flight competition was held, this time without a submission from Fairchild Hiller. Find Us on Facebook, Safety Standards Acknowledgement and Consent (SSAC). It was powered by a 285-hp engine but the helicopter weighed less than a Volkswagen. Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. The US Naval Test Pilot School (USNTPS) trains and graduates qualified engineering test pilots, flight test officers, and flight test engineers to conduct test and evaluation (T & E) at the Naval Air Warfare Center-Aircraft Division (NAWC-AD) Patuxent River Maryland and other activities. 13456, "History of Rotorcraft World Records, List of records established by the 'YOH-6A'. The AH-1J SeaCobra was used later in the later stages of the Vietnam war. As a separate part of the project, armed OH-6As were being developed at Fort Rucker, Alabama. This was a Recon mission for Unarmed Recon When the 1980 hostage situation of Operation Eagle Claw was deemed a disaster, the US military realized there was a lack of aircraft and personnel trained for such special operations. The Chickasaw was a multi-purpose helicopter designed for both the US Army and Air Force. 608th Transportation Company (Aircraft Direct Support): Mar 72 During the Vietnam war, the HH-43 Huskie was used for more rescue missions than all other aircraft combined. Each time we went out, we got shot at. This eventually gave way to the loach nickname, and was intended to provide the US military with a light-class, rotary-wing craft that could fulfill a number of purposes: search and rescue, close air support, MEDEVAC, observation, transport, reconnaissance and attack roles. [8][9], A total of 387 OH-6/Hughes 369s were produced under license in Japan by the Japanese aerospace company Kawasaki Heavy Industries. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Other Army pilots, most of whom flew Cobras or Hueys, thought of Loach pilots as a little offbeat. Helicopter took 2 hits from: The AH-6 and its troop-carrying sibling, the MH-6, are still heavily used by U.S. special-operations forces, as everything from airborne sniper platforms to transports inserting small teams to expeditionary light attack helicopters. The OH-6/Model 369 was also license-produced overseas by the Japanese aerospace company Kawasaki Heavy Industries for both military and civilian operators. Typically missions were flown during the daylight, starting at dawn; common roles included the clearance of landing zones and general intelligence/observation flights. The OH-6 Cayuse was built with a rugged structure covered in light aluminum. [22] Its straightforward design made it easier to maintain than most other helicopters, while its relatively compact 26-foot main rotor made it easier to use tight landing zones. Vietnam War Era Hughes OH-6 Loach Helicopter 60,632 views Mar 30, 2013 327 Dislike Share Save Steve1958OR 221 subscribers A friend came by with his restored US Army Loach OH-6 helicopter. Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) program, The US Air Force Panicked When Its Top-Secret Stealth Fighter Crashed Into the California Wilderness. The aircraft, dubbed 500P (penetrator) by Hughes, began as an ARPA project, codenamed "Mainstreet", in 1968. Vietnam Veteran and his Helicopter Reunited. Her research focused on Victorian, medical, and epidemiological history with a focus on childhood diseases. The observers and gunners had even less experience. During the Vietnam War, it was mostly deployed for aerial combat and for conducting rescue operations in areas close to US Air bases. The flames covered my boots and lower legs. One time we ran into hundreds of enemy troops. Terms and Conditions, Safety Standards Acknowledgement and Consent (SSAC) [19][20][21], In December 1967, the first OH-6As arrived in Vietnam. You were killed, shot down, or got scared and quit. The Aircraft Division of Hughes Tool Company came up with the Model 369, which became one of three finalists, alongside designs from Bell Helicopter Company and Fairchild Hiller. In the end, Hughes lost its contract to Bell, who was deemed to have the superior design. We thought they were ARVNs [Army of the Republic of Vietnam] until they started running. If the OH-6 came under fire, the nearby Cobra would then strike at the revealed enemy. Both Loach and Cobra have been in production, on and off, in one form or another ever since. I spent more time with them., Kids Start Forgetting Early Childhood Around Age 7, Archaeologists Discover Wooden Spikes Described by Julius Caesar, Artificial Sweetener Tied to Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke, Study Finds, 5,000-Year-Old Tavern With Food Still Inside Discovered in Iraq, The Surprisingly Scientific Roots of Monkey Bars. Following the Second World War, significant advancements were made in the field of rotary-wing flight. It had a distinct teardrop-shaped fuselage, which made it instantly recognizable, and a cockpit for two crew members, along with two removable seats in the passenger cabin. Built by Hughes Tool Company, it was designed to be a scout helicopter during the Vietnam war. Military operators included the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF), Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), and the Japanese Coast Guard. The CH-53 Tarhe was another heavy-lift helicopter designed to transport and recover downed aircraft. Furthermore, the helicopter was also developed into a civilian helicopter, the Model 500, which was still in production into the twenty-first century under MD Helicopters as the MD 500. Cobras, nicknamed Snakes, flew circles 1,500 feet above the scouts, waiting to pounce on whatever the Loach found. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2023 Vietnam Helicopters Museum. Although most combat aircraft in Vietnam aimed for altitudes and speeds that helped them avoid anti-aircraft weapons, U.S. Army crews flying Hughes OH-6A Cayuse helicopters flew low and drew fireto set up the shots for the Bell AH-1G Cobras circling above. As of 2021, these records still stand. Armed with guns, Hellfire missiles, and 2.75-inch FFAR, it provides armed helicopter support to both ground and air special operations. The OH-6A could be armed with the M27 armament subsystem, the M134 six-barrel 7.62mm minigun or the M129 40mm grenade launcher on the XM8 armament subsystem. In this theatre, it was commonly operated in teams with other rotorcraft, such as the Bell AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter, using so-called "hunter-killer" tactics to flush out and eliminate hostile ground targets; the OH-6 would act as bait to draw enemy fire and mark targets for other platforms such as the AH-1 to attack. 79th Transportation Company: Jun 70 Jul 70 [18] Subsequently, on 6 April 1966, Robert Ferry set the long distance world record for helicopters by flying from Culver City, California, with over a ton of fuel to Ormond Beach, Florida, covering a total of 1,923.08 nm (2,213.04mi, 3,561.55km) in 15 hours, and near the finish at up to 24,000 feet (7,300m) altitude. During the course of the competition, the Bell submission, the YOH-4, was eliminated as being underpowered (it was powered by the 250shp (186kW) T63-A-5). We operated from fixed bases that were islands, if you will, of allied control, says Hugh Mills, who flew both Loaches and Cobras in Vietnam from 1968 to 1972, and went on to fly helicopters for the Kansas City Police Department. Vietnam OH-6A "Cayuse" Helicopter The OH-6A made its first flight in 1963. They were employed in hunter-killer tactics, wherein they flew low over the jungle as bait to draw enemy fire. I was wounded three times and shot down nine times, Romero reports. The Cayuse (white) was used alongside the AH-1 Cobra (red) attack helicopters, forming (pink) hunter killer teams. Its cockpit teems with electronics and sensors, and its stub wings are heavy with heat-seeking Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, laser-guided Hellfires, rockets (like those used in Vietnam), and even fuel-filled drop tanks. The Bell UH-1B/C was modified from the UH-1A Cobra to include a set of machine guns for attacking ground targets. You can have all the guns, vests, and radios you want, but you need street smarts or youre going to be dead within an hour.. In her spare time, Samantha enjoys reading, knitting, and hanging out with her dog, Chowder! The "loach" was the LOH (Light Observation Helicopter) or OH-6A. To counter the US, the Vietnamese employed their helicopter fleets of mostly Soviet-made aircraft. An author of aviation books, his latest is Howards Whirlybirds. Ultimately, Hughes was selected as the winner of the competition. The helicopter Continued Flight. During 1966, the OH-6 entered service with the U.S. Army, it promptly arrived into active combat in the Vietnam War. The Army initially ordered 1,438 Hughes Model 369s, designated by the Army as the OH-6A Cayuse helicopters. The 'Loach' was one of the riskiest helicopter assignments in Vietnam Radiomen in the Vietnam War faced a 5-second life expectancy 5 cringeworthy military slang terms (that we should actually retire) From nursing to newspapers, these were the women of Vietnam Here are the 24 helicopters used in Vietnam. The small "egg-shaped" design and simplified rotorhead incorporated four rotor blades of constant chord, made of bonded light alloy. Ribbons are clickable to their respective aerial campaigns / operations / aviation periods. Trademarks and copyright information is respected. The Sikorsky S-61R is a twin-engine transport and search helicopter. Possible mast-mounted sight. The Army officially adopted the Bell OH-58 Kiowa in 1969. In August 1967, the AH-1G Cobra arrived in Vietnam. I still have scars on my legsit was terrifying. This was a Combat incident. Loach crews were equipped with small arms and returned fire as they fled. The killer role persists. Upon encountering enemy fire, Loaches were to leave immediately, dropping smoke grenades to mark the target so that within seconds, the Cobra could roll in. The OH-6A made its first flight in 1963. In the event of a crash the tailboom and engine separate from the egg-like cabin, improving the survival chances of the crew and passengers. Upon landing, an inspection revealed a damaged pitch link, a rotor head component so critical that had it failed, they too would have crashed. Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in size. The OH-6A could be armed with the M27 armament subsystem, the port (left) side mounting M134 six-barrel 7.62mm minigun or a 40mm grenade launcher on the XM8 armament subsystem. The helicopter was inducted as the OH-6 "Cayuse" and would eventually take on the in-the-field nickname of "Loach" in reference to its "LOH" origins. Ive seen them, whites of the eyes, and theyve seen me, whites of the eyes. Adopted after. Pilots called this helicopter as the Loach. Served in Vietnam War during 1968 through 1970. Army units this aircraft deployed with in Vietnam: The Model 369 had a distinctive teardrop-shaped fuselage that had strong crashworthiness properties and provided excellent external visibility. By Richard Toops. Since 1968 this helicopter saw combat in Vietnam. [16], Early on in the OH-6's career, the type demonstrated its performance in a particularly prominent manner via the setting of 23 individual world records for helicopters during 1966 in the categories of speed, endurance and time to climb. ", FAI Record ID #11656 Absolute Rotorcraft World Record, Distance over a closed circuit without landing, FAI Record ID #11655 Absolute Rotorcraft World Record, Distance without landing, Obituary: Robert G. Ferry; Air Force veteran was record-setting test pilot, "In Vietnam, These Helicopter Scouts Saw Combat Up Close", "Jane's Aircraft Upgrades, MD Helicopters (Hughes) Model 500 (Military Versions)", "Dominican Republic Air Force Unit History", "Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force OH-6J", "Breda Nardi Hughes NH.500M in Armed Forces of Malta service", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hughes_OH-6_Cayuse&oldid=1133333304, This page was last edited on 13 January 2023, at 07:46. Loach and Cobra were in constant radio communication, and because of the intensity of hunter-killer missions, it wasnt long before pairs in each type knew each other well enough to anticipate the others moves. Systems damaged were: FUEL SYS As the reserve units have continued to move away from the OH-6 as their primary scout aircraft, military technical support of the aircraft has dwindled. The armed OH-6s from Fort Rucker joined the training program in the fall of 1980.[30]. Worthy, the OH-6 Loach and two other air scout helicopter pilots, all decorated, were in Topeka on Saturday night for an event at Forbes Field Airport designed to increase interest and. Stanley Hiller complained to the U.S. Army that Hughes had used unethical procedures; therefore, the Army opened the contract for rebidding by all parties. Unit: 173 ABN Since units were all but permanently assigned to particular areas, they came to know the local geography intimately and could spot anything out of the ordinary. MD-530MG/Defender: Has a mast-mounted sight, and incorporated upgrades of all previous variants. Its formal name is derived from the Cayuse people while its "Loach" nickname comes from the acronym for the Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) programme that it was procured under. FAQ | Reportedly, Hughes had consulted at the last moment with Real, who recommended a bid of $53,550. So I engaged the enemy, but didnt make it out of that one. Within that same year, help was on the way. This teamwork was actively encouraged by Army officials, and led to the development of so-called "hunter-killer" tactics that sought to flush out and eliminate hostile ground targets. Armament Scout pilots were a different breed of cat, says Cobra pilot Jim Kane, who likens his former colleagues to the airborne equivalent of the Tunnel Rats, soldiers who crawled head-first into Viet Cong-built tunnels without any idea what awaited them there. They were famous for being shot down or crashing in combat. Fitted with 1x 253-shp Allison T63-A-5A turboshaft, 4 bladed main rotor, and an offset "V" tail. Unit: DIR SUP / TRAN The OH-6 helicopters served in huge numbers and were used for light observation and utility roles. In some areas, Purple Teamsone Loach and two Cobraswere also common, as were other variations.) | The following text is exclusive to this site. Adopted after the company behind its design deceived the US Army, the Loach helicopter, as it was better known, fast became the primary chopper flown in Vietnam. The Korean War proved the necessity for such rotorcraft, particularly in regard to search and rescue operations. The Loach helicopters used to transport personnel were given the designation MH-6, while the armed ones were dubbed the AH-6. When the Loach debuted in 1966, it broke records for speed, endurance, and rate of climb, all important attributes for a scout helicopter. The LOH program opened the floor to several companies to come up with their own designs. They went down in the jungle, and both [members of the crew] survived. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Nate Shaffer has restored a Hughes OH-6A Cayuse helicopter. The U.S. Marine Corps still flies AH-1 SuperCobras as its main attack helicopter, with the latest versionthe AH-1Z Viper so upgraded and modernized that a Vietnam-era pilot might be hard-pressed to recognize it. 1:00 Jan. 6 will mark 50 years since former Newburgh resident Dave Middleton was shot down in Vietnam while piloting a Loach helicopter on a mission to which he wasn't originally assigned.. It was used for transporting personnel, escorting other aircraft and naval vessels, attacking enemy units, and acting as an observation post. The enemy was moving toward us when a [command and control] ship picked us up. For other AH-6 and MH-6 variants, see MH-6 Little Bird and Boeing AH-6. Up against Fairchild Hiller, Hughes Tool Company purposely undervalued its cost estimates, earning the company favor and the contract. However, the U.S. Army subsequently chose to include Hughes's Model 369 for further consideration as well. If you would like However, the choppers frame ensured the crewmen within remained safe. The Mil Mi-1 was a Soviet-made light utility chopper with three or four seats. The Army dictated that after 300 hours of flight time, each Loach go through a thorough inspection, but in practice such inspections were rare: Few Loaches survived to reach that mark. The OH-6 Cayuse was developed from specifications issued by the U.S. Army in 1960 for a light observation helicopter (LOH), and the familiar Loach nickname was derived from the acronym. Hughes developed the Model 369 as a prototype for the U.S. Army in the early 1960s. The unrefueled range of the AH-6 is 250 nautical miles. The small-arms protection aircrewmen armor that was introduced in 1966 was a vest with pockets containing composite laminated plates commonly called chicken plates. It is 1/6th scale and very large, has to be at least 3 feet from rotor tip to rotor tip. Front left side view of the Hughes OH-6 Cayuse helicopter; color, Right side view of the Hughes OH-6 Loach in flight; color. To this day I am closer to those guys I flew with in Vietnam than my own brothers, says Mills. Graphics are very well done, the whole model is very well done. Terms of Use [17] On 26 March 1966, Jack Schwiebold set the closed circuit distance record in a YOH-6A at Edwards Air Force Base, California, flying without landing for 1,739.96mi (2,800.20km). They were usually joined by Cobra gunships either in hunter-killer teams where the Loach hunted and the Cobra killed or in air mobile cavalry units where both airframes supported cavalry and infantrymen on the ground. [22] The remaining H-13s were promptly withdrawn in favour of the OH-6s. The OH-6A was powered by a single Allison T63-A-5A 285 shp turboshaft engine, and had a cruising speed of 144 mph (125 knots). On the night of 56 December 1972, the remaining helicopter deployed a wiretap near Vinh, Vietnam; useful information provided from this wiretap was acted on by the United States on several occasions, such as during the Linebacker II campaign and Paris Peace Talks. The CH-34 Choctaw was developed by Sikorsky Aircraft for transport purposes to carry personnel and deliver supplies. While Hiller did not participate in the rebidding, Bell opted to, submitting their redesigned Model 206. Cookie Settings, pilot. The helicopter made a Forced Landing. One, nicknamed Queer John, hit the dirt at least seven times. Even when this helicopter was shot down, it refused to crack. In one particular clandestine incident in 1972, known as the Vinh wiretap, a pair of OH-6As were heavily modified and used by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) via Air America was used to infiltrate Vietnamese high level communications, providing valuable intelligence. See Also: How Much Does a Huey Helicopter Cost? While successful in this respect, the Loach helicopter also had a reputation for being easily gunned down. Your email address will not be published. In support of the Helicopter Flight Mechanics syllabus, the USNTPS operates surplus Army OH-6B Helicopters which were refurbished by the Army National Guard, Gulfport, Mississippi in 1991. contact us here and we will remove the The back plate was often not used owing to the weight, and even the chest plate was deleted. Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 11/18/2017 | Content www.MilitaryFactory.com This aspect was further bolstered by the use of self-sealing fuel tanks that lowered the likelihood of a post-impact fire breaking out. The US military primarily used the OH-6 for observational and reconnaissance purposes. Though Cobra pilots were trained Stateside, most Loach pilots didnt take control of OH-6s until arriving in Vietnam. On top of this, Fairchild Hiller lodged a formal complaint over Hughes Tool Companys deceitful tactics to earn the original contract. [12] Following a competitive fly-off, the Army requested the manufacturers to submit sealed bids. Cobras generally attacked with rockets, preferred for long-range accuracy, switching to the less-accurate chin-mounted machine gun and grenade launcher only if they were far enough away from friendly troops or if the rocketsAH-1s could carry as many as 76 rocketsran out. The helicopter was hit in the Left Side It served in Granada and Panama during the 1980s, as well as in the . The Hughes OH-6 Cayuse is a light helicopter with a single engine and a four-bladed main rotor. Army headquarters developed doctrine by building on what worked in the field, rather than the other way around, and each unit in-country did things slightly differently. He recalls: 360 degrees around you was enemy territory, and the ability to work with American and [South Vietnamese] units on the ground really required aviation to be able to look eye to eye to tell the good guys from the bad guys. Loach-Cobra pairings were sent out more and more frequently, until their main role was to gather general intelligence rather than prepare landing zones. During the Vietnam War the OH-6 helicopters served in huge numbers and were used for light observation and utility roles. [22], Following the April 1980 failure of Operation Eagle Claw (the attempted rescue of American hostages in Tehran), it was determined that the military lacked aircraft and crews who were trained and prepared to perform special operations missions. article/image or apply full credit information. Heavy Attack Helicopters 2. OH-58 "Kiowa" light observation / scout platform. I could see a cigarette butt still burning.
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